Mobile industrial rack system

Abstract

A mobile industrial rack system which includes a flue spacer, a carriage spacer, and a synchronous motor control that individually and collectively allows the rack system to be used on unleveled surfaces. The industrial rack system is therefore well suited for storage facilities in which it is not possible or not desired to level an otherwise unleveled floor.

We claim: 
     
       1. A mobile rack system comprising:
 a first rack mounted to and extending above a first mobile carriage for movement on a floor; 
 a second rack mounted to and extending above a second mobile carriage for movement on the floor, wherein the first and second mobile carriages each include wheel structure engaging the floor and supporting the first rack and the second racks for rolling movement on and along the floor; 
 a carriage spacer interconnecting the first mobile carriage and the second mobile carriage such that the first mobile carriage and the second mobile carriage move together along, the floor, wherein the carriage spacer allows the carriages to move vertically relative to one another when the first and second racks are translated along the floor; and 
 a flue spacer having interfitting members adjustably interconnecting the first rack and the second rack independent from the connection between the first and second mobile carriages, and enabling the first rack and the second rack to move in both a lateral direction and a vertical direction relative to another when the wheel structure of the mobile carriages move on and along portions of the floor that are not level. 
 
     
     
       2. The mobile rack system of  claim 1  wherein each mobile carriage includes at least a pair of wheels adapted to ride along a rail mounted to the floor. 
     
     
       3. The mobile rack system of  claim 2  wherein each wheel has a tread pattern and a contour matched to that of the rail. 
     
     
       4. The mobile rack system of  claim 3  wherein the tread pattern includes a pair of flanges spaced to form a channel therebetween. 
     
     
       5. The mobile rack system of  claim 2  further comprising a motor associated with each of the mobile carriages that drives at least one of the wheels and a motor controller that controls operation of the motor. 
     
     
       6. The mobile industrial rack system of  claim 5  further comprising a synchronous motor control and wherein the motor controller of each of the mobile carriages provides feedback regarding operation of the motor to the synchronous motor control which in turn controls the motor controller based on the feedback. 
     
     
       7. The mobile rack system of  claim 1  wherein the carriage spacer is further adapted to allow the first and second mobile carriages to move vertically independently of one another when the carriages are translated along the rail over portions of the floor that are not level, and includes a pivot pin against which the carriages move relative to another when the carriages move along the floor. 
     
     
       8. A mobile rack system comprising:
 a series of rails mounted directly on a floor and arranged parallel to and spaced from One another along the floor; 
 a first rack and a second rack; 
 a first mobile carriage supporting the first rack for rolling movement on and along the floor-mounted rails, the first rack including a first motor operative to translate the first rack on and along the series of floor-mounted rails and a first motor controller that provides a first encoder count; 
 a second mobile carriage supporting the second rack for rolling movement on and along the floor-mounted rails, the second rack including a second motor operative to translate the second rack on and along the series of floor-mounted rails and a second motor controller that provides a second encoder count; 
 a flue spacer having interfitting members adjustably interconnecting the first rack and the second rack to enable the first rack and the second rack to move relative to each other when the wheel structure of the mobile carriage moves on and along portions of the floor that are not level; 
 a carriage spacer movably interconnecting the first mobile carriage and the second mobile carriage to allow the first and second mobile carriages to move vertically relative to one another when the first and second mobile carriages move along portions of the floor that are not level; and 
 a synchronous motor control communicatively linked with the first and second motor controller to receive the first and second encoder counts to synchronize the operating, speed of the first and second motors. 
 
     
     
       9. The rack system of  claim 8  wherein each carriage includes a wheel mounted to a shaft that is caused to be rotated by one of the first and second motors and an encoder that counts rotations of the shaft. 
     
     
       10. The rack system of  claim 8  wherein the flue spacer allows the first, rack and the second rack to move in at least two directions including a lateral direction and a vertical direction.